Kerala govt announces judicial probe in Idukki custodial death

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Cabinet on Friday decided to go for a judicial probe in the custodial death of Rajkumar, who was allegedly involved in financial fraud, at Nedumkandam police station in Idukki.
Announcing the decision, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the probe will be completed within six months. The probe will be conducted by retired justice Narayana Kurup. The chief minister said that the ongoing probe by crime branch will progress without any change and the judicial probe will be undertaken along with that. “Beyond the probe by the police, the judicial probe will cover how did the incident happen, how can such trends be curbed in future etc. Since these matters would not come in police probe, these will be covered in the judicial probe,” he said.
However, he said that the government would not go for a CBI probe as being demanded by the family members of Rajkumar. “I had assured them that all those who are involved will be punished, and they had also agreed with me then when I explained to them how well the ongoing probe is progressing,” he said. Rajkumar’s mother Kasthuri, his relatives and members of newly formed action council had on Thursday held a march to the government Secretariat demanding a CBI probe in the case.
The chief minister also hinted about a likely action against Idukki SP K B Venugopal. “We have received several complaints against him. We are examining those,” he said. He added that the government has not sought the services of a sitting judge as it was sure that the services of a sitting judge is unlikely to be granted. Justice Narayana Kurup, a former judge of high court, has served as the chairman of state police complaints authority.
Reiterating stern action against police officials with criminal connections, he said that such elements are still in police and the government has been taking action against them including expelling them from the service.
Rajkumar, 49, died on June 21 at Nedumkandam police station in Idukki allegedly due to internal injuries he suffered in police torture. The crime branch, that is probing the case, have found four officers including a sub-inspector guilty, and two of them have been arrested.